Drivers CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence)

The Qualification 

The Driver CPC became a requirement across the European Union in Septemeber 2009 to ensure and maintain high driving standards and road safety. All professional bus, coach and lorry drivers must hold a Driver CPC if they want to drive for a living and new drivers must pass an initial Driver CPC qualification before they can start. 

The initial Driver CPC qualification is split into four parts:

·               Part one - theory test (multiple-choice and hazard perception)

·               Part two - case studies
·               Part three - practical test of driving ability
·               Part four - vehicle safety demonstration

All four parts must be passed successfully to be able to drive professionally.
After the initial qualification is obtained drivers are also required to complete a
minimum of 35 hours periodic training every five years for as long as they wish to
continue to drive professionally.

Training

Although the responsibility to undertake training to keep their CPC lies with the driver, here at Mabey Hire we have taken the decision to assist our drivers by organising 7 hours training per year on a subject of our choosing (chosen from an approved list via the FTA) - 7 hours per year over 5 years = 35 hours.

 Each 7 hour course is split into two parts and the second part must start within 24 hours of the completion of the first part.

We have entered into an agreement with the FTA to provide 5 years of this training - from 2009 until 2014 - and this training is carried out in four venues (Dewsbury/Hatfield/Glasgow/Calne) in the early part of each year.

Benefits

Administering this training ourselves provides benefits to both the company & the employee:

• We can choose the subject matter, ensuring that the subject is relevant & useful to our drivers
• Takes the hassle off the driver having to organise & arrange training themselves, which may mean having to use holiday time to attend training sessions & travel to different centres
• As a company we can keep competent & valued drivers
• This staggered method of training sessions allow training to be done in manageable chunks - companies may have not planned for this requirement & will have to get their drivers to cram 35 hours into one year. The problem with this approach is that there will not be enough approved courses to fulfil the requirement.

Ultimately we are lucky enough to be able to able to be able to support our drivers, maintain industry standard, and deliver our own bespoke training regularly thanks to our Training Academy - http://www.mhsacademy.com/

18001: Essential or Unecessary?

BS OHSAS 18001:2007 is the latest certification specification standard for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSMS). An OHSMS provides a framework for an organisation to identify and control its health and safety risks, reduce the potential for accidents, comply with legislation and improve operational performance. OHSAS 18001:2007 provides as much, if not more, emphasis on 'Health' than on 'Safety'.

At Mabey Hire Services Ltd we operate, and are registered to, OHSAS 18001:2007 by an independent, third party, certification body (NQA) thereby demonstrating a commitment to implement, maintain and improve the way in which the Company manages the health and safety system. This is incorporated within our Integrated Management System (IMS) along with the ISO 9001 Quality Management Standard.

OHSAS 18001 requires an organisation to formally document the areas that are covered by their OH&S policy and to keep evidence that it is operating according to the requirements of the standard.

OHSAS 18001 is split into several areas, some key ones amongst them are:

• Documented OHS management system
• Responsibility, authority and communication
• Organisation chart and specific responsibilities
• Hazard identification and control
• Competence, awareness and training
• Communication, participation and consultation
• Operational controls
• Measurement (checking), analysis and improvement
• Emergency preparedness and response

An increasing number of customers are requiring the Company to demonstrate it is being managed effectively and responsibly and that they can provide a reliable service without excessive downtime caused by work-related accidents and incidents. By complying with, and being certified to, the OHSAS 18001 management system, Mabey Hire Services can prove it conforms to the specification and provide evidence to support it.

Successful implementation of the OHSAS 18001 standard provides the following benefits:

• Potential reduction in the number of accidents
• Potential reduction in downtime and associated costs
• Demonstration of legal and regulatory compliance
• Demonstration to stakeholders of your commitment to health and safety
• Demonstration of an innovative and forward thinking approach
• Increased access to new customers and business partners
• Better management of health and safety risks, now and in the future
• Potential reduced public liability insurance costs

Research carried out by a health and safety specialist tutor at BSI confirmed that significant improvement has been made by British industries through implementation of the OHSAS 18001 standard. Specific areas of improvement were seen in terms of reduced accident rates and improved reporting of accidents and non-injury incidents (near misses).

Perceived drawbacks in working to the standard are an increase in the costs of health and safety management, more bureaucracy, and the time it takes up in the performance measuring, monitoring and improvement of the system. In fact, a well thought out H & S management system can reduce bureaucracy and save money.

Overall, investment in health and safety is inevitable, as little improvement can be achieved without investment in time, competencies, and required equipment. The adage, prevention is better than the cure, can be used in OHSAS 18001 to support the idea that it is better to invest in health and safety management to prevent an accident or incident now rather wait for something to happen, potentially incurring both human and financial costs. The reputation of the Company would also be tarnished, possibly discouraging customers both old and new.

People ask whether the OHSAS 18001 standard is a good thing or a bad thing for the Company. The benefits far outweigh the drawbacks and if only one injury, whether major or not, is prevented then surely that is a good thing for the Company, it's employees and it's customers.

Safe Systems of Work (SSoW)

 

The Health & Safety at Work Act part 1 section 2 (2) (a) states that it is a duty of an employer to “Provide and maintain plant and systems of work that are, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risks to health or safety”

Safe Systems of Work – what are they?

 

A SSoW is generally accepted to be a formal procedure, which results from systematic examination of a task in order to identify all the hazards. It defines safe methods to ensure that hazards are eliminated or risks minimised.

 

There are two principle aims:

1.        To provide sufficient knowledge to the employees on how they can carry out the work safely

2.        To provide a quality plan to ensure that the work is carried out in the way it was intended

Components of a SSoW

 

The components of a safe system of work would typically include the nature of the work, the materials being used, the people involved in carrying out the work, any plant or equipment that is required and finally the task to be carried out coupled with the specific environment.

It must have a logical well-thought out approach, and should fully identify and document all the hazards, safety precautions and safe working practices associated with all the activities performed by operatives.

 

When is a SSoW Required?

 

There are many hazards that are clearly recognisable and can be overcome by physically separating people from them e.g. by using guarding on machinery. A SSoW is needed when hazards cannot be physically eliminated and some element of risk remains. Remember to include non-routine work as well as normal operations.

Designing a SSoW

 

There are 5 steps to designing a SSoW:

1.        Assess the task

2.        Identify the hazards

3.        Define safe methods and control measures

4.       Implement the system

5.        Monitor the system

1. Assessing the Task

 

Assess all aspects of the task and its risks. When doing this consider health hazards as well as safety be mindful to take account of:

·         What is material or products are used

·         Who does what and their competence

·         Where the task is carried out

·         How the task is done

2. Identify the Hazards

 

Spot the hazards, evaluate the risks and where possible eliminate hazards before you rely upon a SSoW. The Construction, Design and Management Regulations 2007 require a design risk assessment to be carried out to ensure that the structure being designed can be built, maintained and demolished safely.

3. Define Safe Methods

 

Define by written procedures or by permits to work. When doing this involve the people who will be doing the work - their practical knowledge of problems can help avoid unusual risks and prevent false assumptions being made.

4. Implement the System

 

Safe system of work must be communicated properly, understood by the operatives and applied correctly. You should ensure that supervisors know they are responsible for the implementation and maintenance of the system of work. You must ensure adequate training is carried out for employees and supervisors.

 

When implementing the SSoW, stress the need to avoid short cuts - part of the system should be to stop work when faced with an unexpected problem until a safe solution can be found.

5. Monitoring the System

 

The SSoW must be periodically checked to ensure that the employees continue to find the system workable, that the procedures laid down are being carried out effectively and that any changes in circumstances which require alterations to the system of work are taken into account.

Summary

 

·         SSoW are required by law

·         Some risks are clear and can be overcome

·         Look at every job - think about what is used, who does what, where and how it is done

·         Give employees clear directions on how the job must be done

·         When job is complex or risks are high, put instructions in writing

·         Make sure the system is supervised

At Mabey Hire Services our Safe Systems of Work for our on site installation teams have evolved over a number of years and generally follow the template below:

1.              An introduction

This basically states who we are, our recognition of our duties under the CDM Regulations 2007 and that the work will be carried out accordingly and that no variations or deviations to the planned sequence will of works will be taken without prior consultation and agreement between all parties concerned.

2.             Project details

 This would include but not be limited to:

·         Location

·         Nature of works

·         Phasing of works

·         Resources

·         Site Personnel:

•     Visiting staff
•      Plant and Equipment provided by ourselves
•     Plant and Equipment provided by the Client or Principle Contractor

3.             Construction Sequence

Often called the “method statement”, this section details how the works will be assembled including the plant or equipment to be used. It will also include 'hold' points.  These are typically potentially dangerous situations were all parties concerned must be sure that all precautions have been taken and all risk eliminated so far as is reasonably practicable. This would typically include lift plans for cranes, permits to work in place, inspections etc.

 

4.             Facilities to be provided by the principle/main contractor

This section deals with our expectation of what we require from our client. This varies considerably from site to site but a minimum requirement would be:

·       Suitable roadways for articulated/rigid vehicles to gain access to and from the public highway and onto the site.

·       Provision of suitable areas to store and assemble equipment, adjacent to the work site - The areas should be reasonably level, clear of obstruction, clear of mud and should be of adequate size.

·       Suitable and sufficient welfare and first-aid facilities.

·       Measures to ensure that the construction area is free from all other personnel not immediately involved in the Mabey Hire Services Ltd. construction works.

Assessment of the site in accordance with C.O.S.H.H. regulations, any substances hazardous to health should be notified to Mabey Hire Services in time for suitable precautions to be made.

5.             General Safety

This section gives the companies expectation of minimum standards that will be met by our site labour force and site management who are working in accordance with our Health & Safety Policy.

6.                   Lift Plans

We undertake to plan all lifts using an appointed person in accordance with BS7121. The lifts are then detailed on a drawing which will typically show the size and weight of the lift, the position of the crane and the radii and the outrigger loadings. Lifts are managed on site with a trained Lift Supervisor.

7.             Site Specific Risk Assessment

The aim of this is to highlight particular elements of the work that are NOT covered by standard (generic) risk assessments because they are specific to the manner in which the work is being carried out, the arrangement of the site and our clients own site rules. It consider what the hazards may be, what risk is associated with the hazard, what control measures are required to reduce the risk to an acceptable level and the residual risk after the control measures have been applied.

 

8.                Requirements for induction

This section is where our site crews are given an induction by our site management after being inducted by our client. There would be a sign off sheet to confirm attendance and acknowledgement of the briefing.

9.             Generic Risk Assessment

This section deals with the risk assessment of our works on site based on the product being used and the nature of the work. This is used in conjunction with the site-specific risk assessment which is tailored to meet the individual site.

The format of this SSoW is specific to the type of work we carry out on site with our site erection crews. You must decide yourself on the suitability of any SSoW that you adopt and ensure that it covers the methods of working and nature of risks applicable to your work.

Drug and Alcohol misuse, what’s the Crack?

Drug and alcohol misuse is becoming an increasing problem within the working environment. For the individual it can be damaging to their health, for the company it can cause reduced productivity, absenteeism and an increased likelihood of accidents. 

What can an employer do to combat these issues before they become a problem?

“The ultimate goal should be to balance respect for individual privacy with the need to maintain a safe, secure and productive environment.”

At Mabey Hire Services we have recently updated our Substance Misuse policy. The aim of the policy is clear and simple, in that Mabey Hire Services is committed to providing a safe, healthy and productive working environment for all our employees, visitor and our customers. This includes ensuring that all employees are fit to carry out their jobs safely and effectively in a working environment, which is free from alcohol, drug, solvent and other substance misuse.

How do we achieve this and conform to our Policy? 

The company has procedures in place for random and for cause testing along with an effective health surveillance programme.  Working closely with our Occupational Health Provider; EHSS, the selected employee will be required to pass a sample of urine for the test (when on site a sample of saliva may also be requested). The samples will then be sent off to an approved laboratory for analysis. If the test is positive for the presence of any illegal drug and/or the presence of drugs for which there is no legitimate medical need for either their use or quantity, disciplinary proceedings will be initiated which

 may lead to dismissal.

But its not all about testing and “catching people out” Mabey Hire Services recognises that prevention is better than cure and so will embark in the new year with a series of Substance Misuse presentations carried out by its own SHEQ department. The presentations will hopefully benefit all employees and highlight the dangers of Substance Misuse.

Drugs

Misuse of drugs has become a much greater factor in company health and safety policies over the last few years due to the growing trend to take them as recreational. Drug use over the past twenty years has moved from being a problem with people out of work, to a problem with those in work. It is also now affecting a much larger percentage of people not to mention a younger age.

Illicit Drugs

Illicit drugs are illegal. The possession, use and trafficking of which can result in a criminal conviction and as such they are banned from all Mabey Hire Services workplaces. Regardless of when and where they are used illicit drugs be they stimulants, hallucinogens or depressants, present a number of health and safety issues.

Cannabis / Marijuana is the most common drug used in today’s society. Its effects are often compared to those of alcohol as they can be initially stimulating but like all other depressants will generally result in tiredness, lack of concentration and impaired judgement. It also contains hallucinogenic properties that may impact on mental health issues.

The next most common group of illicit drugs are stimulants such as Cocaine, Amphetamines and Methamphetamines (ecstasy and Ice). An Employee who uses stimulants over the weekend will usually spend the first part of the week “coming down” Their impaired motor functions and reduced levels of concentration can create dangers for themselves as well as their work colleagues.

Pharmaceuticals & Herbal Drugs.

One of the aims of the forthcoming presentation is to make employees aware of the effects of over the counter prescription and herbal drugs. Prescription drugs and over the counter medications benefits millions of people around the world every day increasing health and life expectancy. However, like most other substances they can be dangerous if misused, or used in the wrong circumstances. Because over the counter drugs are readily available, there is a greater misconception that they involve little or no risk.

Its important that the employee understands the side effects of the prescribed drugs and explains to their Doctor what their actual job function entails. Some medications such as antibiotics can have unpredictable effects when combined with alcohol and may render the employee unfit for their duties. Having all the available information means that the employee can make an informed choice.

• Will it make me drowsy?
• Are there any other medications that it should not be mixed with?
• What are the effects of combining it with alcohol?
• Are there any work activities I should avoid whilst taking this medication?

Herbal variants of pharmaceutical treatments have also become increasingly popular alternatives to traditional medicines. It’s another common misconception that because herbal medicines are natural they involve less risk. This is not always the case and they are usually similar to their pharmaceutical equivalents.

Alcohol

Alcohol is so embedded in our culture its easy to forget that it's also a drug. Alcohol misuse costs the community and business billions every year. It is also one of the leading contributing factors to death and injury at work and in the community in general.

Times have changed, In the 1970’s it was common place across all industries for employees to go to the pub for lunch whether it was entertaining clients or just to buy the boss a drink. This trend began its downfall in the early 1990’s when a number of reports where published into how much the pub lunch could be costing the economy and individual companies in lost time and company expenses from pub lunches. Boozy lunches can also affect the reputation of a company or can ruin the rapport with a client built up after a long period of time. It has also become much more of a stigma for employees to come to work intoxicated as it can effect team morale and employee relations.

Today’s younger generation are more liable to go on a “binge” on payday or over the weekend. Its also not uncommon for cheap “bootleg” booze to be consumed during house parties or just before getting in the mood and hitting the clubs.

Alcohol is a nervous system depressant, although in smaller doses it can appear to have a stimulating effect. Even small amounts can diminish the levels of concentration and the ability to react quickly.

The effects of alcohol vary depending on a range of factors including.

• The type, strength and quantity of the alcohol consumed.
• The use of carbonated mixers and energy drinks.
• The person’s age, weight, and gender.
• Their levels of fitness.
• Their body chemistry and drinking habits
• What food is in the stomach and how hydrated the person is.

 Alcohol affects everybody in different ways, but there is a direct relationship between the concentration of alcohol in the blood and its effects. The more you drink, the more it effects you and the longer it takes to leave your system.

Despite the popular myths that drinking coffee or sleeping will help to remove alcohol from the blood, the fact is that nothing can speed up this process. Only time can reduce your blood alcohol concentration. This is a vital point because if you consume enough alcohol late into the night, you may still have a large amount of alcohol in your system. If you need to work or drive a vehicle you may be breaking the law and Company policy.

So now you have had all of the facts, what’s next? Need advice?.

  

Drugs and Alcohol in the workplace can cause serious health & safety issues. By having a robust Substance Misuse policy and having a proactive approach a company can demonstrate its commitment to Health & Safety by providing a safe working environment for visitors and employees.

“The ultimate goal should be to balance respect for individual privacy with the need to maintain a safe, secure and productive environment. We encourage any individual who uses illegal drugs, misuses prescribed drugs or abuses other substances such as solvents, medications or alcohol to seek help in overcoming their problem. Employees are encouraged to ask for help at any time, and not wait until they are asked to attend a test”

Competence in Construction

What is Competence?

Competence (or competency) is the ability of an individual to perform a job properly, of being adequately or well qualified physically and intellectually to carry out specific tasks.


What are an employers responsibilities regarding employee competence?

It is a legal requirement that anyone carrying out construction work must be competent to carry out their tasks safely. This means anyone using plant or equipment, working at height or in any hazardous situation, should be trained before they start work.

An employer has a duty to ensure that any person who carries out a task, as part of their employment is competent. Whilst that person is in training, a competent person must supervise the individual until they are able to safely carry out that task.

If you are engaging a person or organisation to carry out construction work for you, then you need to make a reasonable judgement of their competence based on evidence. The evidence will usually be supplied to you by the person or organisation quoting or bidding for the work.

What is the benefit of competence in construction?

Ultimately competency means being able to work safely, to legislation and without risk to others. This benefits not only the individuals carrying out the work but has much wider benefits for a company as a whole. Obviously fulfilling your duty to ensure that all employees are competent reduces the risk of any legal matters following an accident, however ensuring all employees achieve competency can help your bottom line too.


An employee who is actively competent in their task will complete a project with less errors, resulting in lower damage charges incurred form your supplier. A competent employee will facilitate the smoother completion of a project, reduced down time means a more cost effective project and perhaps allowing you to take on a larger number or projects too.


How do you achieve competency?

Competence, especially in construction is a learnt quality, no one turns up on site their first time and knows how to perform every task safely and correctly.

A person only develops in competence through a mix of training and experience, For a person to be competent they need, qualifications, experience and qualities suited to the tasks.

There are plenty of companies out there who will train your employees to become competent in their tasks. Mabey Hire Services are among them, and our training is FREE. http://www.mhsacademy.com/
Other places to look for courses include http://www.cskills.org